Counter divider



Nov. 22, 1955 J, c, MQNCIER 2,724,627

COUNTER DIVIDER Filed May 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR hmes (1M5naive?" BYZ. g6

ATTORNEY3 COUNTER DIVIDER James C. Moncier, Knoxville, Tenn. ApplicationMay 20,1953, Serial No. 356,280 1 Claim. (Cl. 312-1403) This inventionappertains to improvements in means for dividing a counter into a numberof bins of various sizes and in various arrangements and has for aprimary object to provide a board that is adapted to be removfablysuperimposed on top of a counter and to provide means for mountingvertical partitions of various sizes and in various arrangements on theupper surface of thevboard so as to divide the board into a plurality ofvarious size bins for retaining merchandise.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiaperturedboardwhich is adapted to be seated on the top of a counter and toprovide a plurality of clips each of which has a pairof prongs that isinsertable in the apertures, the prongs retaining the clips in variousarrangements on the board against movement relative to the board.

A further object of this invention is to provide a clip,

which is particularly designed to mount a counter par- A further objectof this invention is toprovide a clip which is particularly designed, tomount partitions on top of a counter, running crosswise or lengthwisewithout the necessity of using blocks or specially built frame work tohold the crosswise partitions in place; thus, resulting in an economy byeliminating extra depth on the crosswise partitions, such "as would beneeded for conventional methods whereby a portion of the crosswisepartition would be needed toextend" between blocks or other frame workfor the purpose of supporting itself. 1

For example; on conventional methods it would be necessary to use inchglass in order to create a bin 3 inches deep provided the blocks orother frame work used in supporting the crosswise partitions were 2inches thick.

Whereas, this invention provides a clip that supports the crosswisepartition on top of the counter, thus, eliminating the additional 2inches, or resulting in a savings of 40% when using 5 inch glass orother partitioning material to createa bin 3 inches deep.

A further object of this invention is to provide a clip which is simplyand inexpensively fabricated from a single piece of material.

These and ancillary objects and structural featuresof merit are attainedby this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in thefollowing description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a counter and bin constructionembodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the counter showing one of theclips in a vertical section;

2,724,627 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 Figure 3 is a transverse sectional viewtaken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the clip per se;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4and showing the vertical section of the clip in elevation;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the clip showing the same in its initialstages of formation after having been stamped from a sheet of material;and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7--7 ofFigure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings andinitially to Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates a conventional counterwhich has an upper surface or top 12 that is bounded by upstanding siderails 14 and end rails 16.

A thin board 18 is detachably seated on the top 12 of the counter andmay be formed from any suitable material such as beaver board,composition board, plastic orthe like. The board 18 is provided with anumber of apertures 20 that are formed by being stamped or moulded outof the board 18. The main purpose of the. board 18 is to. provide amounting means for the clips 22, and, in providing such mounting means,to avoid drilling holes in the counter. By using the thin sheet or board18, the counter does not have to be modified in any manner and the boardmay be formed with the apertures in a very simple and inexpensive mannerby simply stamping or moulding the same therein. This avoids thenecessity of drilling the openings or apertures in the board 18.

The clips 22 may be. mounted in any desired relation or arrangement onthe board, one such arrangement being shown in Figure 1 for exemplarypurposes only.

As shown more particularly in Figures 2-7, the clip 22 includes. a.horizontal section or bottom 24 and. a vertical or back section 2.6, thesections being arranged at right angles to each other. The sections arereinforcedattheir line. of juncture with integral webs 28 and30 whichare formed by pinching a portion of the bottom or horizontal section 24and the vertical or back section 26. together.

Thevertical section 26 is formed. at its upper portion with a channel 32that is defined by bending the sides of the: vertical section to formthe laterally extending legs. or flanges, 34 and 36. The web 38 of thechannel is co-planar with the lower end of the: vertical section.

The lower ends 40 and 42 of the flanges or legs 34 and 36 are: severedfrom the web. 318. by slits 44 and the lower ends and. 42; are bentslightly inwardly.

The upper ends 46 and 48 of the legs or flanges are outwardly flared toprovide a guiding means for the reception of the partitions 50 in thechannels.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the web 38 of the channel 32 is providedwith a reinforcing rib 52 that is formed at the longitudinal center lineof the web by pinching the web upon itself. The horizontal section orbottom 24 of the clip is provided with a pair of depending prongs 54 and56 that are formed by being extruded or stamped out of the horizontalsection 24. The prongs 54 and 56 are, therefore, hollow and haveinturned lower ends 58 which serve as guide means for inserting theprongs in the apertures 20. The prongs 54 and 56 are positioned adjacentthe forward end 60 of the horizontal section 24 and are spaced apart inside by side align ment. The prongs can be formed in spaced alignmentbetween the front and rear edges of the horizontal sec- As shown inFigure 6, the clip 22 is stamped from a sheet of suitable material whichpossesses inherent resiliency such as sheet metal or the like or it maybe moulded from resilient plastics. The clip is stamped out of the sheetwith the square horizontal section 24 co-planar with a vertical section26. As shown, the portion of the vertical section adjacent thehorizontal section 24 is formed with inwardly curved side edges 62 and64 and the flanges 34 and 36 have their lower edges 40 and 42 separatedtherefrom by the slits 44.

The vertical section 26 is bent into right angular rela tion with thehorizontal section 24 about the fold line 66 and the flanges 34 and 36are bent inwardly about the fold lines 68 and 70. The flanges 34 and 36are normally disposed in converging relation as shown in Figure 4 andthe lower ends 42 and 40 are bent inwardly about the fold lines 72.

The prongs 54 and 56 are extruded from the horizontal sheet 24 at thepoints 74 thereon, as shown in Figure 6.

In use, the clip is secured on the board 18 in any desired position withthe prongs 54 and 56 being received in the openings 20. The horizontalsection 24 is superimposed on the board as shown in Figure 2 and thevertical section 26 upstands therefrom. The ends 76 of the partition 78,which may be glass, plastic or other conventional material, are disposedin the channels 32 of the clips. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the end 76of the partition 78 is clampingly engaged by the flanges 34 and 36 andabuts against the web 38 with the bottom thereof resting on thehorizontal section 24 between the prongs 54 and 56.

In inserting the partition 78 in the clips, the ends 76 are locatedabove the channels of the clips and the partition is moved down into thechannels with the flared ends 46 and 48 of the flanges serving as aguide means for receiving the partition in the channel. The flanges 34and 36 of each clip are spread apart by the partition and the flangesare stressed to securely clamp on the partition. The lower ends 40 and42 of the flanges function as clamping fingers. In this respect, it willbe noted that the flanges 34 and 36 are stressed horizontally by beingslightly flexed about vertical axes, while the lower ends 40 and 42 arestressed in a direction at right angles to the flanges by being flexedabout horizontal axes. This arrangement of the flanges and theirassociated clamping ends 40 and 42 serves to securely engagethepartition. The partition is supported by the horizontal sections 24 ofthe clips so that it is stabilized by the clips and retained securelythereby on the board 18. Obviously, any length of partition can be used,the length desired dictating the placement of the clips on the board tomount the partition.

As can be seen from Figure 1, any desired arrangement of the clips canbe carried out, so that bins of any size out the bins, if it is foundthat a desired arrangement cannot be completely carried out, it is notnecessary to tear up all of the partitions and start from the beginning,it only being necessary to relocate some of the last placed clips.

It will be particularly noted that the clips can be positioned close toadjoining partitions, for example, the clip 22 of Figure 1 being locatedadjacent to the partition '78 so that the end of the partition 78 isalmost contiguous with the partition 78'. Furthermore, the upper surfaceof the horizontal sections of the clips being flat and plane permits thepartitions to be firmly supported and permits the partition to be easilyinserted and removed from the clips.

While the preferred form of this invention has been illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and described herein, other forms may be realizedas come within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A partition supporting clip for a counter top of the type having spacedapertures extending downwardly therethro'ugh comprising a base sectionhaving a plurality of side edges, a plurality of prongs integral "withsaid base section and depending therefrom, each'of said prongs beingadapted to cooperate with one of said apertures to mount said base tosaid counter top, an upright section integrally joined at its lower edgeto one side edge of said base section, said upright section having apair of side edges and a top edge, a pair of flanges projectingintegrally from the opposite side edges of said upright section andextending over said base section with the lower ends of said flangessubstantially spaced from said base section, a pair of outwardly flaredguides formed on the upper ends of said flanges, a pair of inwardlyprojecting clamping fingers formed on the lower ends of said flangeswith said clamping fingers having their closest points spaced apart adistance less than that of the closest points of said flanges, acentrally disposed integral reinforcing rib formed on said uprightsection between said side edges, and a pair of spaced apart reinforcingribs extending through the lower end portion of said upright section andthrough the adjacent side edge portion of said base section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGarfinkle May 30, 1944

